Holiday shopping online up 13 percent

Holiday retail e-commerce spending in the U.S. reached $30.81 billion between Nov. 1 and Dec. 26, according to comScore. Online spending in the week leading up the day after Christmas increased to $2.45 billion, 17 percent above last year.

The fastest-growing category of online purchases was computer hardware, which grew 23 percent above last year, mostly driven by the sale of Apple iPads and laptop computers. Online spending increased 22 percent for books and magazines, 21 percent for consumer electronics and 20 percent for computer software and PC games.